Squeegee for cleaning curved and straight surfaces



Sept. 21, 1954 G. BIEK SQUEEGEEI FOR CLEANING CURVED AND STRAIGHT SURFACES Filed Aug. 5, 1952 If INVENTOR. 4 GEORGE EJIEK. a J15 y Patented Sept. 21, 1954 unwise mares EPATEEJN'T OFFIIQE esQUEEGEE oa CLEANINGCURVED AND STRAIGHT SURFACES George Biek Long Island City, N. Y.

flpplicationfiugifs't 5, 1952,"SerialNo.' 302,790

f poses'tthe construdtion 'o'f an improve'd squeegee twmeh can be.used as'= a hand suflace oleaher for :e'b'othistraightand: eui vedtsuifacs sueh as' 'iolate $581885 windows or store fronts with equally -s'ucvrcessful results.

rAnother obje'ctkof the;.present invention prorposes forming tthe squeegee with r a or mther resilientitubefhaving a fle xible bar 'therein "veto .-'keep ."it straight zwmmdrawn aeross a flat surtacemnid to perniit it to berid only dver a wurvedesurface.

-Stil1 further, ithe 'zpr'esent -inventi'on iiropos'es "constructing the squeegee so that the blade ncarwings-tube: willznot :co'llapse Lwhe'n: bent 'ari'd can: be reasily changed :iwhen r the 'ilbl'ads become nicked eorxiworn.

-As:avturtheriobiect;rthezpiresont invention oreposes arranging the blade bearing ti ibe so th'at fl it rwillcovert-all internalz'stmcture and -p're'vent arany :lina'dvertent scratching iof ssurfaees when using? the squeegee.

.311182131 6861;fint el'flilonifilll'fiher propbss a novel .sgueegee .tstriicture, :simple land imegpensiv'e to 313E156, with-an improvediblade strutui e' and with the blade holding tubular'imefirb'er haviiig the minimum :mesistance Fto 'Zbending ior cleaning tcurvedrsuriaces.

For further comprehension zo'f a'the'i invention 1 and of the. objects :andvadvantages thereof, ref- Terence lwillabexhad to -iwthe ifollowin'gi'description aandeaccompanying-draiwings,:andfto the-i-appendmed elaims .in which the various :novel :'features of the inventionare;more;;particular1yIset forth. .Intheeaccompanying' drawings iorming' afma- -teriaLpart otthis disclosure: 7

V Fig.1 is -:an elevational view-with parts broken t. awayeillustrating the: squeegee of the 'present. invention in 1a frame. for-hand use, the curved surlacecleaning lpositiomof the'--handlez-being indiopated.inidotedashwoutline. V

L ,Fig. a sectional viewctakenrontline'zz of 1 with the curved surface. cleaning position being shown in dot-dash outline. ..-.-1=!ig. rods: a fragmentary :perspective end view Trotthesqueegeeimember.

1 amend "viewshowing' amodified form :Joflsqueegee used in this device.

F-[git is 'a fragmentary detail view showing one th fr arh'e removably attachedtothe'fleixba'r mouzitin'g' the other structure. we 6 1's a view' siriiilar to Figf's but illustratrilile ibarz-lfitanda'coilspririg H. I

even.imust'rbezprovided to hold the flexible bar 2 ing a permanent attachment of the frame with thefiexible bar.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. '6 illustrating 'a'nother "permanent attachment.

Fi'g5 8' is a fragmentary 'detail'perspective 'view showing a modified form of blade holding tube and indicating one anchoring means for a @011 spring inside the tube to-keep it from "collapsing when bent.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail perspective =vi'ew tillus't'rating another way the coil spring may be i an'chored to :preveritit from rotating.

"Fig. l0 is a View similar to Fi'gs. '5, 6 and7 bu s'howing a modification dfthe p'r'es'entinvention.

#Fig. 11 is .afragmentar'y view s'howing' a blade holding tube having the wiping blades "in mo'di- Tied form.

L-Fig. .12 is, a view similar "to Fig. 11 but'ill-us- :tratinga further mddification'oflthe blade struc- .ishield: wiper: holder.

' .J-Fig. 14.is fanother fragmentary detail 'view I vsimilar :to. Fig. 313 but "showing further details.

The squeegeer of the present invention consists of but threeiparts a blade bearing :tube' [5, 'a flex- Means, how- 'Jfromiurning' and 'toipermit it to 'be flexed. Such :meanslmay either :bea frame [8 (Figs. 1 to "7) 1 015:3, windshieldwiper holder ".arm l9 (Figs. '13

and 514) Inzthis manner,:a squeegee :is formed, rafsqueegee 'being 2a device with a handlerand a transverse piece-.at-one end ofpit 'set with a: strip ring'Ymateri-als evenly to surfaces, .etc.

The squeegee in accordance with the t-first 'form of #theinvention illustrated in -Figss1 tofl H has aiblade bearing-tube IS in thefform of: a re- "silient normally straight. hollow cylindrical blade 'beai'ing'meniber with axially disposed'rib wiping blades '20 thereon. The blade bearing; member 7 T5 'preierably is a rubber tube .having the rib wiping" blades. 20' molded on its l outer. surface .ex-

tending outwardly of the tube. JIf desired the tube may. be. made. of Shape. retaining somewhat "Stiff riibberfland the blades 20 of softer rubber.

Anyvnumber of blades may beprovidedextending J in spaced relation entirelyaround the tube. l5.

3 its side faces '23 and 24 so that the bar will tend to be rigid edgewise in the plane of its width, but can be flexed in a plane transverse its width. Bar I6 is preferably a spring bar made of spring steel or similar material.

The ends of the bar I6 are held by the two spaced free ends '25 and 26 of frame I8. The frame I8 is a one piece wire forked frame. The continuous piece of spring wire is bent to form a handle portion 21 below the branched arms 28 and 29. The ends of the tubular member l are provided with end slots I5 adapted to be engaged by the ends 25 and 26 of the frame I8, to prevent rotation of the tube I5 and enabling the tube to extend at least to a point flush with the frame extremities.

Free end 25 of the frame I8 is provided with a vertical slot 30 positioned in a plane parallel to that in which the two arms 28 and 29 and the handle 21 of the frame lies. Free end 26 has a similarly disposed slot 3|. The two slots, 30 and 3| receive the ends of the bar 26, the arms 28 and 29 being pulled apart to separate the free ends 25 and 26 and then released when the bar is between these ends 25 and 26 so that the slots 30 and SI engage the endsof the bar. The spring tension of the wire frame I8 holds the bar in the slots 30 and 3I. The spring bar is disposed with its side faces 23 and 24 parallel to the plane of the frame.

Coil spring I! fits over the bar I6 between the bar I6 and the blade bearing tube I5 forming a resilient stiff tubular member between the blade bearing member I5 and the bar I6 to keep the tubular member I5 from collapsing when bent. Preferably, coil spring I! is anchored to the bar I6 as by having one end 32 bent over on one side of the bar I6 as shown in Fig. 8. Both ends of the spring may be similarly anchored if desired. The coil spring fits tightly inside the blade bearing tube I5 to keep the tube from rotating when drawn across a surface.

The tube I5 preferably extends over the ends of the coil spring and flush with the outer extremities of arms 28 and 29 so there is no chance for the spring, bar, or arms to scratch a surface when the wiper blades are cleaning it.

In cleaning or clearing curved surfaces, the bar I6 will flex and the blade bearing tube I5 will bend to conform to the curved surface but the bar will hold the tube straight for flat or straight surfaces. Handle portion 2! of the wire frame I8 will force the resilient tube I5 into the curved shape indicated by the dot-dash lines of Figs. 1 and 2 for cleaning curved surfaces. g In Fig. 4 the resilient tube I5 is shown to be of elliptical or oval shape in which 2. corresponding bar I 6 is shown, the longer dimension of the oval accommodating the width of the bar. 1

Fig. 5 indicates how the frame may be removably attached to the bar so that the blade bearing tube may easily be replaced. Bar I6 is provided with an opening 33 at each end and the free ends of the wire frame are bent as end 25' shown in Fig. 5 so as to fit through the openings and engage the bar, the wire spring tension of the frame holding them tightly against the bar and putting the bar in tension.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the frame ends are secured as end 25 shown by a rivet 34 in Fig. 6 and by a punched up portion 35 on the bar extending through opening 33 and riveted over at the top of the bar as shown at the frame end portion 25.

The modification illustrated by Fig. 8 is characterized by the flexible blade bearing tube 36 (corresponding to tube I5) being formed of two sections or portions 31 and 38. Portion 31 is provided with openings 39 to permit the tube to bend easily, the open weakened structure offering less resistance to bending. The mating portion 38 of tube 36 is provided with rib blades 39 and the two sections or portions 3'! and.38 are cemented,

vulcanized or otherwise secured together. Coil spring II inside the tube 36 prevents it from collapsing when bent.

Another anchoring means is shown for the coil spring IT in Fig. 9. Bar I6 is provided with a marginal Opening 40 and one end 4| of the coil spring is bent downwardly across the end of the coil to extend through this opening and bear against the bar., Both ends of the coil spring and bar may be so arranged. a

In place of the coil spring IT, a resilient tube 42 of rubber, plastic or the like may be provided as shown in Fig. 10.

The modifications illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 are characterized in that the blade bearing tubes 43 (Fig. 11) and 44 (Fig. 12) have their blade ribs formed in a new manner. In Fig. 11, the raised rib blades 45 are not straight for the entire length of the tube but consist of a plurality of short parallel spaced portions 46 each disposed at an angle to the adjacent portion of the same continuous rib to present a tread efiect. In Fig. 12, the rib blades 41 consist of short broken lengths having openings 48 through the ribs, the openings 48 being spaced out of alignment.

Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate how the squeegee may be held for use as a windshield wiper. Bar I6 is provided with end openings 49 (only one end opening being shown) and a windshield wiper holder arm I9 engages the bar clamping in these openings. The arm I9 is also provided with a bracket 50 for connection to wiper mechanism, not shown.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a resilient normally straight hollow blade bearing member having axially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, a flat flexible bar in -said member to keep it straight when drawn across a fiat surface and topermit itto bend only over a curved surface, a resilient stiff tubular member between the blade caring member and the bar to keep said member from collapsing-When bent, and means to'h'old the ends of the flexible bar for drawing the blade bearing member over the surface to be cleaned,

whereby the flexible bar' maintains said blade bearing member straight over a fiat surface and curved over a curved surface in conformance therewith. Y

2. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a resilient normally straight hollow cylindrical blade bearing member having axially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, aflat flexible bar in said member to keep it straight when drawn across a fiat surface and to permit it to bend only over a curved surface, a resilient stiff tubular member between the blade bearing member and the bar emer ence "i zt -pecventeaaddtmembendmm rotatingconrtheubar ifmmszcollapsingmhen :bent, rand :means -:.to

i'dloldtheeendsiofs thezbariandrpreventzthebar'from turning.

weft-squeegee tori'cunvedxsurfacesrcomprismg a g' resiltent .@,normally nstraight hollow zoylindrical :rbladezbearingamemberzhavingrax ially dispose'd rib rwiping blades {'13s fiatflexible 1b anrinsidesaida hollow amembersto keep itstraight: whemdrawnsacross. a eflatisurfacemandtto, permit :it ,-to';: ben'dazonlyuover iratcursedesurtace avresilient stifixtubularrmember -tbetweenztheeblade bearing;memberxandutheabar to prevent said member from rotating :onthe rbar. sand; from tool-lensing! wherrehentmarrd means l-re1easably1 [and wig-idly 1 to rhold nthe trends; :of the sbanfomdnawing the nibiblaflesuofzth hladei'bearmembemovemthe. surface totbeccleaned. a4. FArsgueegee for,curvedrsurfacesicomprisingi a r rubber-1 tubeiehaving-raxiaflywdisposedirib awiping eblades-,,on itmai flat :flexible :ban :insidethe: rubber ttubetosupportit and-ikeepzit straightewherr'drawn .aacrossa flattsurtaeeea coil springraroundithehar ebetween :theabar tandtthe tube t0;;preventethe;tube :tfromcollapsing-,whentbent, andtmeansarigidiwto mold the en'dseofzthewbarxwith the: bars disposed rain the, tubes withr therwidthrefi the mar? plane :iprcventingttheatuberfrom-rbendingiiinztthatrplane -.-for-:=oleaning flat surfacesaandi-themiepthtof 12116 bar in a plane permittingfithezlaarttoxfiex rand i-theetuhe .to bendoverwenrved'surfaces.

tween the-:spaced,freeendssofrthe trameiandnhavtangeppeningswto meceive said ends, ,-said::=spaeed .rfree ,endsxof the framerbeing bentttogpassrthrough ,asaideoneningstinmhe bar rwhenruthe springsfeame isvsqueezedsand itstspaced(free endsaanesmoged toward one another and to engage the bar zwihen the squeezing pressure on the spring frame is released. q y p "7. A'squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tubei'i'havingraxiallyl disposed rib wiping blades-thereon, a fiat springbar inside the, rubber stubettousupport it and keep itstraight whemdrawn across la.;-flat surface, a ,coilasp ning around the between the bar and the-tube to prevent the tubeiromwcollapsing when beam one piececbent lrendsiof .theeframe. 4 l i is lithe cbar to grprevlent it r f-rem wotating, :asaidwoil ,aspringi'beingr ofia-zd-iameter frictionallymo preven the tubeinrwhich itiitsfrom rotating.

-18. fA squeegee t foracurved :isurf-acesecoraprising ria' rubber tube :havingeaxiallyadisposedrribewiping :abladesrthereom' aflatzspringfloar-rinside the rubber --;tubeto'support itsa'nd-keep itstraightwhen dna wn across :a hat rsurface, 7a :coil espring around the abanbetweerrthe barr-andttheL-tube togpreventthe -ltube-lfrom collapsing when .=benteaeone-rpieeesbent rwiree-forked; frames-having two. spacedsfree ends t-andwa hand-le portion,Ssaid:springebarasextending between the-spaced free-enda-of the.=frame- -and havingeopenings to receive said-sends ,rsaid spaced .rfreaends oftthe frameibeingebent :toi passt'th-rough ts-aidruepenings inatheabarvwhenathe,spring frame risisqueezed a-ndsits spaced t free ends "areemoved itowardgone another-1. and to engage thebar when the ssqneezing pressure son the spring frame sis wreleased, and meansito anchor-atheqrcoiltspring *to; the-bar-zto .preventrit from rotating, saidecoil' zspringsbeing Mot-adiameter frictionally-,to,prevent the tube: whichv it? fits-from s'rotatingl-v saidmcoil spring anchoring-means being an-endgportionhof the;coilespring-vbent tolunderlie the-.bar. I

A squeegee (for :curved :surf aces comprising rrarubbertubehaving axially-"disposed rib" wiping zblades thereon; afiat: spring -bar inside vwthenubzber tube to isupportaitaandvkeep -it.- straight when .zidrawniacross -afiflat. surface; acoilspring-e around the bar between'the bar and the tube tospre-vent thettube from tcollapsingtwhentbent a onetpiece ibentrwirer forked frame thaving two vspacedinee .rBfldS :and za:handlegportion,vsaid-ispring bar; extending between the spaced free ends For -,.the frame and;- havingaopenings to receiveysaidi ends, rtsaid .spaced.- free1-:ends of rthe-v framesbeing bent to pass through :saidopeningstin ,-the bar when ttherspring frameeisrsqueezedt and its spaced' free \endsware movedstoward: onesanother and toent age t e bar when the; squeezing ,rpressureaon other spring; frame r-is released, andaneans .ttosanwGhOIhthe coil-:springtoatha bar-sto c preventlit: from mutating, tsaid .coilsspringxbeingcof .aa diameter :frictionally to-,.iprevent the ztubeein which itafits from rotating, .'.saidcoil -springranchoring means being an end portion of the coil spring bent across, the end20fthetcoiLspring, rsaid bar having tanzopeningetowreceive said about" end -;of ithetcoil mspring. C

410. iA-esqueegee forscurvedsurfacestcomprising t a, rubber rtubeehavingsaxially disposedribwwi-ping cblades thereon a;flat springabar inside the rub- .,b.er,--tube,vtoa-supportgit andrlee'epeit:straightz-when ,d-rawn acrossfaa flat: surface, aicoilispringearound -thetbarrbetween the baneandqthetube tel-prevent -=the t11be.-f1o1n collapsing whensbent, raj-one ,pieee -.,bent,-wire-,-for-ked frames-havingtwmspaeed (free ends iflfidifii ghandle,,portion said spring bamexfitending between the espaeed (:fl'BGI-t ends ref the ,-,framew-and rhaving itsaends rivetedhto i-theatree .11 n squeegeeifor curved: surf aces z comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping nblades,thereonya flat,flexible-barsinside then-ubher tube: tolsupportziti and k6$prllh straight; when drawn across a flat surface, a flexible plastic tube around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, a one piece bent wire forked frame having two spaced free ends and a handle portion, said bar extending between the spaced free ends of the frame and having its ends fastened to said ends of the frame.

12. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprisingv a rubber tube havingaxially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, a flat flexible bar inside the rubber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, a one piece bent wire forked frame having two spaced free ends and a handle portion, said bar extending between the spaced free ends of the frame and having its ends fastened to said ends of the frame, said rubber tube extending beyond the coil spring and the frame to prevent surface scratching by the spring or the frame.

13. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades on it, a flat flexible bar inside the rubber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, and means rigidly to hold the ends of the bar with the bar disp=osed in the tube with the width of the bar in a plane preventing the tube from bending in that plane for cleaning flat surfaces and the depth of the bar in a plane permitting the bar to flex and the tube to bend over curved surfaces, said rubber tube having two half sections secured together with the rib wiping blades formed on one section and spaced openings in the other section to provide less resistance to binding.

14. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, a flat flexible bar inside the rubber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, a one piece bent Wire forked frame having two spaced free ends and a handle portion, said bar extending between the spaced free ends of the frame and having its ends fastened to said ends of the frame, said rubber tube having two half sections secured together with the rib wiping blades formed on one section and spaced openings in the other section to provide less resistance to binding.

15. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades on it, a flat flexible bar inside the rubber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, and means rigidly to hold the ends of the bar with the bar disposed in 'thetube with the width of the bar 'in a plane preventing the tube from bending in that plane for cleaning flat surfaces and the depth of the bar in a plane permitting the bar to flex and the tubeto bend over curved surfaces, saidrib wiping blades being a plurality of spaced ribs having short parallel portions each disposed at-an angle to the'adjacent portions of the same rib.

16. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, a flat flexible bar inside the rubber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, a one piece bent Wire forked frame having two spaced free ends and a handle portion, said bar extending between the spaced free ends of the frame and having its ends fastened to said ends of the frame, said rib wiping blades being a plurality of spaced ribs having short parallel portions each disposed at an angle to the adjacent portions of the same rib.

17. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades on it, a flat flexible bar inside the rubber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, and means rigidly to hold the ends of the bar with the bar disposed in the tube with the width of the bar in a plane preventing the tube from bending in that plane for cleaning flat surfaces and the depth of the bar in a plane permitting the bar to flex and the tube to bend over curved surfaces, said rib-wiping blades being a plurality of spaced-ribs having openings through the ribs, said openings being spaced out of alignment.

18. A squeegee for curved surfaces comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, a flat flexible bar inside the rub. ber tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and the tube to prevent he tube from collapsing when bent, a one piece bent wire forked frame having two spaced free ends and a handle portion, said bar extending between the spaced free ends of the frame and having its ends fastened to said ends of the frame, said rib-wiping blades being a plurality of spaced ribs having openings through the ribs, said openings being spaced out of alignment.

19. A windshield wiper blade comprising a rubber tube having axially disposed rib wiping blades thereon, a fiat spring bar inside the tube to support it and keep it straight when drawn across a flat surface, a coil spring around the bar between the bar and'the tube to prevent the tube from collapsing when bent, a windshield wiper holder having free ends secured to the ends of the bar to draw said tube across a windshield with a curvature conforming to the surface thereof and means on the holder to fasten it to the windshield wiper activating mechanism on a vehicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,169,206 Krongold Aug. 8, 1939 2,265,551 Steocone Dec. 9, 1941 2,583,710 Scinta Jan. 29, 1952 2,598,971 Carey June 3, 1952 

